Rivals – Sad Looks Pretty on Me

By starrymag | May 26, 2021

By: Jordan O’Halloran

 

 

 

Q) Congrats on your new single, “Sad Looks Pretty on Me!” How was it being back in the studio making music?

Sebastian: It was very nice to be honest, having the pandemic take all music away from everyone at a certain point it was hard to cope with everything, so it was to be able to express myself still.

Micket: It was honestly awesome. I really missed being in the studio creating music.

Q) What is the process for making your music? Do you write the lyrics or bass line first? 

Sebastian: I feel like when we make music it comes as it comes? It can start anywhere from a simple guitar or bass riff to a little melody Kalie [Wolfe] does or some drum beat Josh [Alves] came up with. Pretty much if we dig it and like how it sounds, we run with it and see what we can do.

Micket: For us, there’s really no sure-fire way to making a song. Sometimes we start with guitar and other we start with drums. I think at this point we’ve even started the basis of a song with a random instrument that none of us play. [laughs] Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow and let the song come out however it’s supposed to go.

Q) Tell us the meaning of “Sad Looks Pretty on Me.” What do you hope fans will get from listening to it? 

Kalie: “Sad Looks Pretty on Me” was an idea that came from a night out with my good friend Adrian from assuming we survive. I was having a really hard time in my life and was sort of just zoning out at this bar we were at. He came up to me and said, “Well, at least sad looks pretty on you,” and I instantly asked if I was able to use it for our stuff. I held onto that phrase for almost a year before I worked it into a song and eventually used it as the title of LP2.

I hope they get that even though life has its downs, it will always have its ups and vice versa, nothing and no one is ever going to be perfect and that we all make mistakes throughout our life. It was strange for me because I wrote this record when I was actually finally happy in a way that was a first for me. Damned Soul was written in a heat of depression and anger towards myself, and the world.

Sebastian: I just hope everyone loves what we put out. Everyone here puts their heart and soul into creating things we all like and just hope they like it as much as we do. [laughs]

Micket: Hopefully, the fans get that although we all want to be happy all the time that it’s ok to be sad, too. You really can’t have one without the other, it’s what makes life an adventure.

Q) Did any artists or new music trends inspire you with this new work? 

Kalie: We usually tend to reference things in studio then end up going the complete opposite. Miley Cyrus has been referenced in-studio many times for us as well as “The Circle of Life” in The Lion King. [laughs]

Sebastian – Personally, for me, not really.

Micket: On this CD we really tried to pull inspiration from some far and random sources. We have a song that started and was inspired by a Latin beat and another song that was a mixture of happy feelings in a sad way. Sometimes the most random thing can be the inspiration for a RIVALS’ song. [laughs]

Q) How has your music style evolved since your first album?

Sebastian: When we worked on Damned Soul, I feel it was more of what do people want to hear, what type of songs do they like? With this SAD album, I feel each and every one of us was able to have more creative expression and did things that molded to us personally.

Micket: Personally, I used to listen to the instrumentals mostly and go off how awesome that was but more recently I’ve started to listen to and create music with a basis of how it sits vocally and what its longevity feels like. Will it be fun to listen to in ten years you know? The more we write and play the more we channel our musical expression and what we want with it

Q) In the video for “Sad Looks Pretty on Me” you see the band represented as a whole and individuals. How do you keep your relationship with each other strong?

Sebastian: To be honest, we’re all family and we always had a strong connection between us all. Of course, we had our ups and downs as many families have and do. But we look out for each other. We’re a team, a family doing the same thing we love and having the same big dreams together.

Micket: We honestly text each other every day, regardless of the distance of how far we live from each other. It’s always either something band related or just one of us cracking a joke that reminds us all that we still have one another.

Q) You collaborated with Elijah Witt on the new album. It sounds great! How did that connection happen? What was the process like?

Kalie: We’ve known Witt for some time, and he’s always been there cheering us on since we pretty much started really moving as a band. So, it just felt appropriate to have him a part of our next chapter!

Q) Will there be a concert for this album in the future?

Sebastian: If all goes well, we’re looking for some touring at the end of the year!

Micket: I have no doubt that we will get to see this album played live. We’ve all discussed many of times over how we can’t wait to get back on stage. It’s where we all can really be ourselves

Q) With concerts not being a thing for a while, does your band do any live streams?

A) Sebastian: Yes, we do! We have a Patreon!

Micket: Our Patreon is a great way for our fans and anyone who wants to be entertained can get exclusive stuff and also be a part of a community that is really supportive of each other.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way to keep in touch with your fans?

Kalie: For us, our fans are what keeps us making music. We love doing it for us, but if they didn’t support us I’m not sure if we’d be able to sustain! So, getting to know them and having them be a part of our lives is so important for us! Plus, there are so many cool people out there in the world that we love getting to talk to, we love hearing their stories and getting to be a part of their lives.

Sebastian: Fans are a band’s lifeline. Without fans you have nothing. They mean the world to us and we are all so very grateful to have the ability to create something people love!

Micket: With social media being such a present part in this day and age it’s just the most accurate way to reach out to not only our fans but people who may not know us yet as well

Q) What would you like to say to fans old and new?

Sebastian: Thank you all so very much. It means the world to us and thank you so much for all the love and support you give us. I am eternally grateful. And for those who haven’t heard about us, y’all missin’ out! [sticks out tongue]